The Hero's Return

Chapter 22 - "What? Why? What do you mean?"

With the defeat of Drago, Berk soon found their peace, however, the battle that they had fought might be short but it was costly nonetheless. While Drago and his fleet were decimated, Berk had not won the battle unscathed.  Many dragons and vikings were injured.

Some dragons had their wings been torn from the metal chains, arrows that had flown within the battle, others lost and eyes or even a leg from their own kind. As the vikings, their battle was just as brutal, with everyone receiving an injury one way or another. From something as small as a bruise to something as serious as a broken arm. 

Even so, to Berk as a whole and Hiccup, in particular, it was a joyful turn of event. Not only did they eliminate Drago, they finally found some peace.

"What are we doing outside so early in the morning anyway?" A whiny voice could be heard in the depth of the forest."

"We are spying on Hiccup and Astrid, that's why."

"Why do we have to spy on them again? Can we just let them be like Fishlegs and Heather?"

"Don't say that traitor name to me, she had been skipping on all of the chance on spying Hiccup with me, so I need someone to go with."

"Then why can you ask your stupid brother to go with you?"

"He is too busy playing with his chicken again, in fact, he was still cuddling it when I left."

"Again? What with him and that chicken?"

"You don't get a say in it, even I don't and I am that yak's breath sister."

"Fine, fine. But what are they doing here so early in the morning anyway? The sun is barely out." The whining continued to echo the forest as the two figures loomed toward the Cove. One step at a time, they ventured across the forest trying to make as little noise as possible. However, the crushing of snow could be heard loud and clear, even Hiccup and Astrid, who had not wanted to notice them, could not help but shake their heads.

"Don't tell me it is Ruff and Tuff again." Astrid exclaimed exhaustedly as she seated comfortably in the arm of the person that she adored and loved wholeheartedly.

"I don't think that it is Tuff, it sounds too whiny to be him, maybe it is Snoutlout."

"That's it, I going to let her have a taste of my axe." Astrid said and instinctively reached for her axe. However, as her hand search for it, she could find nothing other than a warm hand.

"We left our weapon at my house, remember? Anyway, I have a better idea than just whacking your axe at their noggins, hoping they would listen to you." Hiccup said as his eyes shone wickedly.

With a few whispers, the two of them immediately mounted their dragons and took off toward the sky. They soared in the cold winter breeze with nothing but a piece of cloth of their body. Yet, they felt nothing, for the two of them, the winter sky was not bone-chilling, rather, with each other there, it was like a warm summer day.

"Toothless, can you hold him there for me?" Astrid asked to receive a gummy smile of the black reptile. 

"What are you planning, milady?"

"Just watch, Dragon Master, I am sure that you will like it." Astrid said smugly as she began to soar. She and Stormfly dance around Hiccup, with the smile plastered on her face and the gentle laugh that she let out, Hiccup felt his heart racing yet again. There was just something about it, something that shooked Hiccup and made his heart race time and time again.

"Ready?"

"Y-Yes, but what are you doing, Astrid?"

"This."

Astrid said as both her and Stormfly did a breathing flip right in front of him, a flip that even he and Toothless needed a ton of practice to pull off. A flip that left Astrid upside down, her face was inches away from Hiccup's. 

"Wow... Really amazing, but you could keep your body closer to Stormfly so that-"

"Just kiss me, you muttonhead."

Leaning in, Hiccup felt nothing else but Astrid soft and tender lips pressing against his, through it love was pouring out. Overwhelming and dazzling. Even so, Hiccup returned them, two folds. Sharing her his heart.

"Wow!"

"Now come on, we are going to deal with Ruffnut and whoever she is with."

"Right after you, milady."

With it, Hiccup and Astrid flew down as they circled the forest and it was not long before Tuffnut and Snoutlout were found, still trying to reach the Cove without making too much noise. Seeing it, Hiccup and Astrid could only shake their heads helplessly before diving for them.

"What? What is going on?"

"I command you to unhand me."

"Oh, yeah Snoutlout, it is a surprise seeing you." Hiccup answered with an innocent smile while Astrid just glanced at the nervous Ruffnut.

"Um, Hiccup... What are you planning to do?"

"What are you talking Snout, I am just helping the two of you to a great view." Hiccup said and without any warning, Toothless and Stormfly dropped the Snoutlout and Ruffnut on top of the two tallest trees that they could find. 

"You can't be serious, right Hiccup?"

"Come on, Astrid, I swear that I won't spy on you again."

"You said so yesterday."

"I know, it just that today is different." Ruffnut answered almost pleadingly.

Instantly, Astrid noticed something about Ruffnut, the way that she presented herself was not the Ruffnut that Astrid had seen over the years. The almost nervous look in her eyes and the beautifully braided hair, along with a small flower tucked behind her ears, Ruffnut was completely different from her usual self.

"Oh, so that's why you are here, huh?"

"Yeah, I tried my best but he just doesn't get it. I am just desperate at this point." Ruffnut added in a hopeless tone.

"Poor, poor Ruffnut. Out of everything, you had to deal with that." Astrid said comfortingly.

"Tell me about it, when Heather had the chubby and you had yours, here I am stuck with..."

"Let me try something..." Astrid said before turning her attention to Snoutlout, who was clutching again the tree for dear life. "Snoutlout, do you think that Ruffnut looked different, today?"

"No, I don't see the difference, she just looked the same for me." Snoutlout answered. "Can you get me down, now?"

"Come on, Snout, look closer. If you tell me something different about Ruff then I will get you down, otherwise, you will be staying here all morning." At this point, even Hiccup jumped in, he had seen everything and witnessed Ruffnut and Astrid helplessness.

"Difference..." Snoutlout stared at Ruffnut, he looked up and down, for a solid five minutes before shaking his head helplessly. The look that he gave Hiccup was genuine, he was indeed had no clue to what the right answer was. "I am telling you, Ruffnut is not different than her usual self, still the same manly viking."

Snoutlout's answer caused Hiccup, Astrid and Ruffnut to stiffen. Instantly, Hiccup and Astrid shared an almost pitty look for Ruffnut.

"Come on, let me help you down and let get you some breakfast afterward." Astrid comforted.

"Me too, help me too, Hiccup."

"No. Snout, you are going to stay there and think about what is differences about Ruffnut, when you have the right answer then I will get you down, or you could wait for your dragon, I am sure that he will come and find you eventually."

"What? Why? What do you mean? What differences?"